Wknd in a Backpack: Himalayan Foothills Edition

Ever gone on a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip and thought, dang, I SERIOUSLY overpacked. 5 different pairs of shoes for a weekend hiking in the mountains is probably a tad excessive.

“Okay but seriously, what if we decide to go out to dinner on Thursday?! I HAVE to bring my brown wedges. And my chacos don’t match with all of my norts – I need my tennies too. Right?”

Or maybe you’re in the other camp – its day 3 and you’re borrowing your roommate’s dirty socks from day 1 because you were determined to not be “that girl” and only stuffed “the necessities” into your purse.

“Hey so, its not weird if I wear the same tshirt for the third day in a row, right? Like nobody will notice. Can I borrow that febreze?!”

Neither team is one you want to be a player on. But don’t get your panties in a wad – there’s another way!! Keep reading, and I’ll fill you in on how to efficiently pack everything you want for your weekend trip in the mountains – in one backpack. YES WAY, I’m literally being for real. Read on, sista.

Last week, I stole away for 3 days and camped out in the foothills of the Himalayas in Landour, India with some coworkers. I left wishing I could just post up for another MONTH, chillin with no makeup on, living out of my hammock.

Never visited the foothills of the Himalayas? Wondering why I wish I could live there for the rest of my days?! Imagine waking up to THIS every morning…

Monkeys everywhere, mugs of honey ginger lemon tea for 75 cents at the market on the edge of the mountain, and green vines spilling down everything as far as the eye could see…Paradise is an understatement. The best part about being in Landour was that we were so separated from normal life that we could afford to leave our concealer stick and perfume at home – I didn’t wear a lick of makeup and I spent the majority of my time in my hammock slash hiking around the mountain, sucking in gulps of crisp mountain air. So now that you’re DYING to embark on your own mountain-heaven-hiking-journey, let’s get you packing!

The #BanglesCrew is ALL about taking the get your feet dirty, sure why not?, rock the day 2 french braid, less-travelled route. Because what’s an adventure without the hilarious memories that come with all of those things?! SO, instead of rollin out your spacious carry-on suitcase, yank that backpack out of your closet that you haven’t seen since junior year of college. Get ready to baffle your friends with a skill so cool, it should double as a party trick.

Alright, ladies. Here we go: How to pack for an entire weekend in the Himalayan foothills….In ONE backpack.

The basics:

1 Pair chacos or tevas. Wear these on your travel days!

1 pair tennies

2 pair thick socks for each day you’re gone from home

2 pair undies for each day you’re gone, +1 just in case. Side note: if you’ll be hiking a lot while you’re in the mountains, consider bringing underwear that are minimal on wedgies. Nothing worse than a distracting wedgie on a beautiful hike, am I right?

1 sports bra for each day you’re gone, +1 just in case

Clothing:

Choose a color scheme, and stick to it. Whether its neutrals or neons, whatever floats your boat – and choose clothing within that color scheme. Pull things out of your closet knowing that you will be mix-and-matching every single item.

2 tanks/tshirts for each day you’re gone from home. I prefer loosely fitting, really soft cotton tshirts and tanks. My favorite shirts are from Splendid, and they’re casual enough to still get away with wearing a sports bra underneath.

1 pullover sweater OR 1 oversized flannel button-down

1 zip-up/button up light sweater (for travel – also easy to tie around your waist if you get toasty)

1 pair leggings for each day you’re gone

1 pair athletic shorts for each day you’re gone

The Fun Stuff:

1 scarf that matches with your color scheme (the BOB Shilpi scarf comes in 3 colors and doubles as a snuggly blanket on cold sunrise mornings)

1 beanie or ear warmer headband

Tips to making it all fit:

Instead of folding and stacking clothing in your backpack, lay outfits together and roll them up like a burrito.

If you keep your clothing separated by day (one shirt, one pair leggings, one pair shorts) you’re less likely to forget things, AND its easier to get ready before that sunrise hike.

Make a quick run to Target or Wally World and grab a travel size shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, dry shampoo, toothpaste, contact solution and lotion. Stash these in a big ziplock along with your toothbrush and razor, and ta da! Bathroom in a bag. It takes up WAY less room than normal bottles, and if you don’t use them all this time, you can pull them back out for the next trip you take.

View packing your backpack like a game of Tetris. See a hole? Fill it with something else. Shove all of your socks into your tennis shoes. Roll your sports bras up into 2 burritos and slip them inside your chaco straps. Roll your toiletries ziplock up inside your pullover sweater.

Utilize all of your zipper pockets! My books and journal fit perfectly in the middle pocket, while the first pocket was a great place for my headphones, external phone charger and cord.

My go-to item all week was the Gunjan scarf. Super soft, lightweight, and a fun neutral pattern – she went great with my gray tank and button-down chambray top. She also doubled as a cutie addition to my purse when the day got warmer, tied in a bow on the strap. A scarf is definitely a necessity on these trips, because they not only double as blankets – but triple as head scarves.

So, there you are. Wknd in a backpack, Himalayan foothills edition. We’re pumped to hear what you guys think – what are go-to packing tips yall swear by? What’s next on your adventure bucket list? What’s your favorite guilty pleasure to stuff in your backpack last-minute, even when there’s literally no room left?! (I brought 3 books and a curling iron…Ha.) We can’t wait to hear from yall!

Keep up with us as we continue this blog thingy – We’re pumped to include you guys in our adventures as we work in India and travel the world, doing 20-something shenanigan things!